Two transgender athletes ask Supreme Court to block state bans on women’s sports

The Supreme Court on Tuesday considered lawsuits filed by two transgender athletes — a West Virginia high school student and an Idaho college senior — who contend state laws that would bar transgender females from participating on teams for women and girls are unconstitutional. Becky Pepper-Jackson, a high school sophomore in West Virginia, sued the state in 2021 to join her middle school girls’ cross-country team.

She says she transitioned in third grade, has legally changed her name and a birth certificate that recognizes her as female, and takes puberty-blocking medication; her lawyers say she has not gone through typical male puberty and therefore does not have a competitive edge. During the litigation she has become an accomplished shot-putter and discus thrower on her high school track and field team.

Lindsay Hecox, a senior at Boise State University, sued in 2020 to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams. She did not make those teams and instead participated in women’s club running and soccer. Hecox receives testosterone suppression and estrogen treatment; she moved to withdraw her case in September and said she would refrain from playing school-sponsored women’s sports, citing negative public scrutiny that would distract from her academics and plans to graduate in May.

Key Topics

Politics, Transgender Athletes, Becky Pepper-jackson, Lindsay Hecox, Supreme Court, West Virginia